Argentina wraps up poll campaign

The president attended his wife's rally, but did not address the crowd

Campaigning has closed in Argentina ahead of Sunday's election to elect a successor to President Nestor Kirchner.

The front-runner in the opinion polls is the current first lady, Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

She praised the economic record of her husband's government during a rally in Buenos Aires.

Her closest rival, Elisa Carrio, urged the poorest to vote for her, in order to take the election to a second round run-off in November.

The other main candidates include a former Economy Minister, Roberto Lavagna, and a well known free-market economist, Ricardo Lopez Murphy.

Final preparations are being made on Sunday's vote

Correspondents say many voters have been frustrated at the lack of policy debate during the election campaign.

Cristina Fernandez Kirchner told a crowd in a Buenos Aires suburb: "Some of our dreams have started to be realised, and now we need to work on the remaining dreams."

Her husband, who has given his full support to her candidacy, attended the rally, but did not address the crowd.

For her part, Elena Carrio spoke out against the "arrogance" of those in power.

If either candidate wins, the result will give Argentina its first elected woman president.